Here’s 25 thumb-stopping hooks for TikTok, Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts, and any other platform that uses scrolling mobile video.
What’s a hook?
A hook is what comes at the beginning of a piece of content to suck people in. A good hook keeps somebody watching, reading, listening, and engaging with the piece of content. In our age of limited attention, hooks are necessary with every channel and every piece of media.
Did you know?
Hooks can also be distributed throughout content to keep people engaged. However, a hook at the beginning is always necessary.
Here’s 25 hooks you can use right now.
- Your X isn’t (ugly, lame, etc.), you just need X.
- Hot (girls, photographers, etc..) don’t gatekeep.
- X I’ve done but it casually gets (worse, more expensive, etc.).
- I don’t know how this isn’t trending right now, but X.
- If you want to be (cooler, skinnier, funnier, etc.) you have to X.
- POV: you X.
- X things I wish I would have known sooner, but I didn’t, so I am sharing them with you.
- Reasons why you should X.
- I would crazy situation (give my left kidney, do illegal stuff) for X.
- Here is the exact X you need to know as an X.
- Let’s talk about the # things that will save you from X.
- If crazy situation (I was on death row, my house was burning down) I would X.
- Have you ever felt like X?
- If you like X, you will love X.
- If you have ever struggled with X, do X.
- I don’t know about you, but I hate X.
- The truth about X.
- Put a finger down if X.
- This is your sign to X.
- Even though everyone on your fyp is telling you something different, here’s the truth.
- Is there anything worse than X?
- I need your help to X.
- I can’t believe I just (learned/noticed) this.
- If you’re under (# of age) and you’re not X, listen up!
- Stop doing X.
Hooks for YouTube Shorts
This YouTube Short of mine just hit 6 million views.
It has a great hook, “The marketing pettiness is so incredible.” – And it uses topics that are more general audience.
To keep people watching on YouTube Shorts, focus on hooks that are negative (the rest of the video can still be positive) and that have some general audience interest.
YouTube Shorts, especially, likes general audience hooks.
Hooks for TikTok
Did you know TikTok’s algorithms recommend music based on your video?
TikTok audiences especially love it when a video’s sound matches its subject matter, rhythm, and style.
The best example of this is at the start of the video – the hook.
With a great sound that matches a nice visual, your video has a much better chance of performing well.
If you’re doing a speaking video with no sound, negative hooks, as mentioned above, also do well. “This is the dark reality of…” Again, the rest of the video can still be positive.
Hooks for Instagram Reels
Like TikTok, Instagram Reels’ hooks should have beautiful visuals and unique matching music.
Aside from this, very interesting subject matter always does well on Instagram Reels.
Start your Reel with lines about how nobody knows what you’re about to tell them.
People will pay attention when they believe they’re about to get obscure and useful information.
“Nobody knows…” “Nobody realizes…” This overlooked secret…”
How I post
I’ve posted over 1,800 TikToks, YouTube Shorts, and Instagram Reels for over 700 days in a row (I started November 1st, 2022).
Here’s exactly how I post in under 5 minutes to read. The settings I use to maximize reach on every platform, constantly updated.
More hooks
Here’s 7 more viral hooks.
And here are hooks I use constantly.
Really, you can’t go wrong with that last link. Those hooks are key.
The truth about hooks
They work!
They work well.
My content didn’t start going viral consistently until I started putting thought into hooks. Here’s the 4 biggest iterations I made with my content which got me the most results (hooks are #1).
Negative hooks do better than positive hooks
Finally, to reiterate, negative hooks usually perform better than positive hooks.
Here’s a video on the power of negative hooks.
